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astronomical distances

A central undertaking in astronomy is the determination of
distances. Without a knowledge of its
distance, the size of an observed object in space would remain nothing more than an angular diameter, and the brightness of a star could not be converted into its true radiated power, or luminosity. Astronomical
distance measurement began with a knowledge of Earth’s diameter, which provided a base...

navigation

Distances were cited in the early pilot books in units of a day’s sail. Later,
distances were deduced from estimates of the ship’s speed and the lengths of time over which these speeds were maintained. Probably the oldest method of determining the speed is the so-called Dutchman’s log, in which a floating object, the log, was dropped overboard from the bow of the ship; the time elapsing before...